Lubricating apparatus



June 15, 1937.

F. s. BARKS 2,083,591

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 15,1937. F. s. BARKs LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet '2 7/ WWW June 15, 1937. F, BARKS 2,083,591

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1935 k 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGQ. 7/

Patent ed June 15, 1937 PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATING APPARATUS Frank S.Barks, St. Louis, Mo, assignor to Lincoln Engineering Company, St.Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application November 29, ms,Serial No. 52,1411

Claims. (obese-'11) This invention relates to lubricating apparatus, andwith regard to certain more specific features, to coupling means for usebetween lubricant conduit sections.

Among the several objects or the invention may be noted the nrovision ofa lubricant receiving fitting and e coupling member therefor in which.upon disconnection of the coupler from. the fitting. there is efiectedan automatic and positive 10 closure of the fitting, and one in whichthe ordinury disedvnntege is overcome of high resistance of flow due tothe positive closure feature; the provision of e coupler of the classdescribed in which on easy coupling may be enacted; the

provision of apparatus of this class which-may he wed for lubricsntdelivery under pressure through less strong hose; end the provision ofapparatus of this class which is simple oi construction until economicalto munufacture. other objects will be in port obvious and in partpointed out herematter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and comblnetions ofelements, features oi construction, end arrangements of parts which willhe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described. and the scope ofthe application oi which will lee indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which ere illustreted severel ofvarious possible einhorliments of the invention,

Fig. l is s cross section of eluloricant-receiw ins element or fitting;

Fig. 221:; e, cross section of e coupler element;

Fig. 3 is o. reduced top plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is 9. reduced bottom plan view of Fig. 22;

Fig. & is n view showing the elements of Figs. 1 anti. 2 coupledtogether,-but prior to opening of the valve in the lubricant-receivingelement;

Fig. c is e view similar to Fig. 5 showing the 44p Volvo onen;

Fig. 7 is e view similer to Fig. 5 showing on srrcngement oi ports forpermanently actuating control;

c shows the coupler applied to the end of w u lubricant hose which isattached to e lubricant pump for supplying the coupler; anti,

Flu. 9 is e. view similar to Fig. 6, but enlergeu, showing onelternstive iortn oi the invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral"! afitting which is provided with a threaded shank 3 for screwing II thesame into a lubricant-receiving opening 5.

The fitting i has a, flat top l which is rounded at the periphery 9. Thecyiindric stole it is provided with a peripheral groove it. The fittingis counterboredl as shown at it to accommodate with a pressed fit, a,bushing ill, the letter having 5 a turned-in, top flange i9.

Within the bushing ii is a hollow valve member 2i having a head 23flanged. st 25 to form 9, support for a sealing gasket 27?, the latternormally seating against the underside of the inwardly- 10.

turned flange it. The flange 25 also serves as on abutment for o.closing spring 29 which reacts downwardly against the bottom of thecounterhore it. The counterhore it is connected. clownwsrdly to atsmaller countero-ore it which shot 1 ably receives the lower end oi theopen, hollow valve til The hollow body portion it oi the valve 2icommunicates with the ccunterbore it by means of en opening 3%.

From the above, it will be seen that the spring 20 it normally forcesthe hollow valve ill so that the washer or sealing gasket 27? sectsunder the flange it. In this condition. the top of the valve ii is flushwith the top of the fitting i. It will also be seen that ii a stutuloleamount of pres= 25 sure hepleced upon the velve it, that the some may bedepressed to open the seat at the washer 2?, thus to permit ingress oflubricant or the like around the fisnge 525 encl into the opening andthence through the hollow portion 83 to 5 the lubricant-receivingconduit h.

The coupler, shown in its normal, disconnected position in Fig. 2,comprises or body ill? having an inlet lending to a cylinder ill, et thebottom of whichis u shouldered opening it. movclcle 35 packing member tosects on the shoulder oi opening iii. The packing is is hevelecl esshown st numerals ill anti hes conic enclosing cups lii around thehevels about the lower enol upper feces.

Centrally, the sucking is provided with on m exit opening ill. Thepecking i5 is normally helol down against the shoulder (Fig. 2) ofopening 438 by means of o. spring c8 reacting against on upper heed E55,the letter enclosing the cylinder iii.

Mounted in the head fit is a stern El which at its lower end curries efinger 59. A. spring ti acting on e. heed $3 of the stem ti emi reactingagelust at pecking wesher $5 in the heed 55, serves normally to hold thestem in e. position so such that the finger W is forced downwardly toextend from the opening ti and below the lower surface 52 (Fig. 2) ofthe coupling. A limiting stop is effected by the action against surfacelit 0! a control handle iii pinned to the stem at 88.

By depressing the handle Bl by pressure at it, a fulcrum is effected atE3 to raise the pin iii, and consequently the finger 59. Otherwise, thefinger 59 is down. Or, the handle GE may be rotated counterclockwise(Fig. '1) so that the flat end 14 acts as a cam to raise the stem 51 andhold it in position with the finger 59 retracted.

The lower part of the body 3i is provided with a guide 15 for receivingthe top of the fitting and inwardly directed shelf-portions 11 forsliding into the peripheral groove I3. A stop 19 prevents the fittingfrom passing out of the end of the guide 15. Thus a simple pull of thecoupling servesto align and attach the same i to the fitting, providedthe pin 59 has been retracted as shown in Fig. 5 or '7.

The coupler is attached to the end of a pressure hose 80 whichcommunicates with the outlet 8| of a grease pump 83 which suckslubricant from a-supply compartment 9 5.and delivers it to the coupler31 by way of said hose 8|). The pump 83 is manually actuated by means ofa handle 81, but it is to be understood that this pump may be of theautomatic type. r

In operation, the portion of the hose 80 .adiacent the coupler 31 isgrasped with the fingers, while the palm of the hand is placed at 1| onthe handle 61. The handle is depressed, thereby raising the pin 59 (Fig.5). Then the guide 15 is applied over the head of the fitting, theshelves l1 sliding into the peripheral recess l3. This action causes acontact between the fiat top 1 of the fitting and the metal-sheathedbevel of the lower end of the packing 45 in the coupler 31,

' the latter being thus raised. The spring 53 assures initial seating ofthe unsheathed end of the packing 45 against the upper surface of thefitting.

Next, the handle II is released, whereupon the spring 6| forces down thepin 51 and hence the finger 59 is forced against the upper surface thehollow body 2|, the latter being forced'down' to open a passage betweenthe gasket 21 and the shoulder l9. The operator may then let go ofhandle 61 and operate the pump handle 81. Inasmuch as the strongerspring 6| holds open the valve in the fitting against the weaker spring29,

no initial lubricant pressure needs to be engendered to open the valvein the fitting, that is, no back pressure due to this cause needs to beovercome. In older forms of this class of device, some four hundredpounds per squaie inch of initial pressure is required to send greasethrough the fitting. Th8 involves a substantial amount of power, andwhether the pump is of the hand or power variety, it is undesirable.

Even though the spring 6| be or become insufficiently strong to depressthe spring 29 and thence open the valve 2| in the fitting I,nevertheless pressure developed by the spring 6| will be carried bymeans of the stem 59 to the valve 2|, and thereby reduce,bythe amount orthe force in the spring 6|, the amount of pressure required on thelubricant for opening the valve This means that any stiffness of spring8| will result in a reduction in the amount of valveopening pressurerequired.

The elimination of the back pressure also means that the delivery hosefrom the pump to the coupler need not withstand a total pressure whichisthe sum of the pressure required for overcoming resistance in thefitting per se plus the pressure due to conditions beyond the fitting;

but only the pressure due to conditions beyond the fitting. Thus, weakerand lessexpensive aosatei hose may be used and one which is much lighterand more flexible. The-operator may want to hold up the pin by settingthe handle 9? vertically so that he may thereafter make the connectionwithout simultaneously touching the handle. This is a provision ofconvenience.

It is to be understood that the handle may be operated to perform thefunctions herein described by being turned laterally, or otherwise inconnection with a suitable cam.

Incoming pressure serves always to force the packing 45 down to a seaton the top of the fitting, thus augmenting the action of spring 53.

By means of this invention the fitting may be designed with an amplystrong spring for positively seating the valve 2| and thus eflectivelykeeping out dirt, that is, there is a positive sealing closure. The morepositive the closing. the higher the back pressure engendered,- but thecoupling provided herein being provided with means for opening the valve2| and holding it open eliminates all valve back pressure even with astrong spring 29. The spring 6| must be stronger than spring 29 in orderto effect a complete opening, but any strength of the spring ill willbe'etfective to press against the valve 2| and to reduce proportionatelythe pressure that the pump 83 would otherwise be required to develop inorder to open the valve.

In Fig. 9 is shown another form of the invention in which like numeralsdesignate like parts. In this form of the invention, there is shown atnumeral 9| an inwardly flaring taper on the inlet to the fitting wherebyan ample flow area is assured when the valve 23 is'open. Furthermore, astop 93 isarranged to limit the downward travel of the valve 23 forpurposes which will be shown.

The unseating pin or finger 59 in the coupler is again formed as anextension from the stem l-but the flange 63 on this stem is arranged toseat on the \ipper surface 95 of the sealing member 45 when the coupleris disconnected from the fitting. This is arranged for by pinning thehandle 6! at a higher location on the stem 51. The space provided at 91is enough that when the coupler is disconnected, the spring 6| may forcethe fiange 63 to a seat on the sealing member 45. Thus, there iseffected an automatic closure on the coupler, outlet upon disconnectionfrom the fitting.

Prior to coupling the coupler of. Fig. 9 to the fittihg of Fig. 9, thehandle 61 lies a little above the upper surface 54. By depressing thehandle 61 and fulcruming it on the edge of the surface 54, or turningthe handle 61 upwardiy as already described herein, the stem 51 islifted to raise the flange 63 from its seat on the sealing member 45.The coupling is then made and the handle 61 released. The spring 6|pushes down the stem 51 and pin 59, whereby the latter engages the valve23 to push the samedownwardly. The downward push is limited by contactof the valvewith the shoulder 93, so that the flange 53 is preventedfrom re-seating on the sealing member 45. Thus, when the handle 61 isreleased, the

, valve 23 is maintained in an open position, as

raised, which retracts the pin 59 to, permit of clearing of the couplerfrom the fitting.

The advantage of having the shoulder 93 seat on the sealing member orpacking 45 when the coupler is disconnected is to prevent inadvertentexudation of lubricant when the coupler is disconnected. For instance,someone might inadexposed to the pressure in the coupler, whereby thebias thereon by spring 53 is augmented.

In view 01' the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achievedand other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

1 claim:

1. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an inlet, avalve in said fitting normally biased outwardly to close said inlet, aconpier adapted to attachably cooperate with said fitting and having apassage therethrongh, a movable means associated with said couplerwhichmeans is formed and normally biased when the coupler is attached tothe fitting to open said valve in the fitting, and means for retractingsaid movable means against its bias independently of the operation ofapplying the coupler to the fitting.

2. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an inlet, avalve in said fitting normally biased outwardly against said inlet toclose the same, a coupler adapted to attachably cooperate with saidfitting and having a passage therethrough, packing means normally biasedto form a seal with the fitting when the coupler is attached, a movablemeans associated with said coupler which means is formed and normallybiased when the coupler is attached to the fitting to open said valve inthe fitting, and means for temporarily retracting said movable meansagainst its bias independently of the operation of applying the couplerto the fitting.

3. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an inlet, avalve in said fitting normally biased outwardly against said inlet toclose the same, a coupler adapted to attachably cooperate with saidfitting and having a passage therethrough, packing means. normallyspringbiased to form a seal with the fitting when the coupler isattached, a spring for said spring bias, a'movable'means in said couplerwhich means is formed and normally biased when the coupler is attachedto the fitting to open said valve in the fitting, and means fortemporarily retracting said movable means against its bias independentlyof fitting and having a passage therethrough, a

movable means associated with said coupler which meansis formed andnormally biased when the coupler is attached to the fitting to open saidvalve in the fitting, means for temporarily retractlng said movablemeans. against its bias independently of the operation of applying thecoupler to the fitting, and means for permanently setting saidretracting means to a. retracted position.

ing an inlet and an 5. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fittinghaving an inlet, a valve in said fitting normally biased outwardlyagainst said inlet to close the same, a coupler adapted to attachablycooperate with said fitting and having a passage therethrough, a movablepin associated with said coupler and normally biased to contact saidvalve when-the coupler is. attached to the fitting thus to open saidvalve in the fitting, and manually operable means for temporarilyretracting said movable pin against its bias and independently of theoperation of applying the coupler to' the fitting, said manuallyoperable means being adapted to-hold said movable pin in retractedposition independently of the op erator until he effects a manualrelease oi said manually operable means.

a. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an inlet, avalve therein normally biased to closing position against said inlet, acoupler adapted by predetermined movement to he attached to saidfitting. said corn er hav "'tiet, the ontlet ad jecent the fitting Lupon attachment, a finger extending from coupler at right angles to theof movement in making attachmerit, means normally biasing said finger toits extended position, and means for retracting said finger temporarilywhile executing movement of attachment, said last-named means beingonerable independently or the operation of applying the coupler to thefitting, the finger thereaftor being manually releasable to Mautomatically biased to protrude iron: the coupling to open said valvein said fitting.

7. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an upwardinlet, a valve therein normally upwardly biased to closing positionagainst said inlet, a coupler adapted to be attached to said fitting bya movement laterally of the axis oi the fitting, said coupler having aside inlet and a bottom outlet, the outlet being adjacent the fittinginlet upon attachment, a hose attached to the inlet, a finger extendingfrom the coupler outlet normally to the plane of movementin making anattachment, means normally biasing said finger to its-extended position,and an independently and manually operable handle extending along saidhose for retracting said finger temporarily while making an attachment,the finger thereafter automatically being biased to open said valve insaid fitting.

8. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an upperinlet, a valve therein normally biased upwardly to closing positionagainst said inlet, a coupler adapted by a lateral movement to beattached to said fitting, said coupler having an inlet and outlet, theoutlet being adjacent the fitting inlet upon attachment, a memberextending through the coupler normally to the lateral movement in'making an attachment, 9. spring normally biasing said member to anextended position, a handle pinned to said member for movement againstthe coupling to retract said member temporarily independently of themovement of making an attachment, a seal in the coupler, and a springfor initiallybiasing the seal against said fitting, the seal beingexposed to pressure in the coupler to effect seating of the seal underpressure.

9.- Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting havingjan inlet, avalve in said fitting normally biased outwardly against said inlet toclose the same, a coupler adapted to attachably cooperate "with saidfitting and having a pale sage therethrough, packing means normallyspring-biased to iorm a seal with the fitting when the coupler isattached, a spring for said spring iciw, a movable means in said couplerand may anally hissed when the coupler is attached to the fitting toopen said valve in the fitting, means for temporarily retracting saidmovable means against its bias while the coupler is being applied to thefitting, said packing means being also exposed to pressure in thecoupler. to augment its spring bias, a valve portion associated withsaid movable means in the coupler adapted to close to a seat on saidpacking when said movable means, follows its bias, and means in thefitting limiting movement of the valve therein to a degree which willprevent said valve element in the coupler from seating on said packingwhen the coupler is attached to the fitting.

10. Lubricating apparatus comprising a hollow fitting having an inlet, avalve therein normally biased to closing position against said inlet, acoupler adapted by a predetermined movement to be attached to saidfitting, said coupler aosaeai an inlet and an outlet, the outlet beingadjacent the fitting inlet upon attachment, a finger extending from thecoupler at right angles to the plane of movement in making anattachment, means normally biasing said finger to its extended position,manually operable means for retracting said finger temporarily andindependently oi" the movement of attachment, the finger thereafter uponmanual release automatically being biased to protrude from the cou plingto open said valve in said fitting, means in the fitting limiting valvemovement when open to a degree preventing complete biasing of saidfinger to its fully extended position, a packing in the couplingcooperating with the fitting when the coupling is attached, and valvemeans asso ciated with saidfinger, said last-named valve cooperatingwith said packing when the coupler is detached and the pin is in itsfully extended position, and being unseated from' said packing when inthe partially extended position of the finger such as permitted by thelimited movement of said valve located in the fitting.

FRANK S. BARKS.

